Lower the tone
- Joined: Mar 20th, 2008
- Posts: 19
How do you pronounce three third tones in a row? For example, for the name of Lu Xun's antihero, Kong Yiji - 孔乙己？
When two third tones are together, the first becomes a second tone, and that if a third tone precedes a second tone, the tone is cut in half, only the first half being pronounced. In which case it would be Kong(half third) Yi(second)ji(third). Or, does it become Kong(second)Yi(third)ji(third) - in which case one rule is not being observed. Another option would be two second tones followed by a whole third. I'm very confused and my Chinese friends don't know if there is a definite rule.
Is there a set rule to this, or will it always be different, depending on the word?
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http://thepekingorder.blogspot.com - Putting Beijing "in order".
jezwebb
Re: Lower the tone
No replies? Unbelievable.
I have written this out a bit more clearly on my blog, the debate has been taken up over there: http://thepekingorder.blogspot.com/2008/11/lower-tone-three-thirds-make....
jezwebb
Re: Lower the tone
An equally interesting question might be, why hasn't anyone answered this? Is it too boring? Too difficult to think through? Or do people just not know?
seabreeze98
Re: Lower the tone
Because most posters are foreigners? And many of the locals that surf this site prefer to stick to foreign bashing or talking about their love trysts problems.
Maybe. But I'm just thinking out loud. Probably not an ounce of truth in it.
“For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.” (Stuart Chase)
Male bean counter looking for job in China.
Small Wan
Re: Lower the tone
Asking locals never will give you the answer, since native speakers, who've never engaged themselves in their grammar tend to know nothing about their own language. Many people can't even grasp what the problem is.
As for the your problem, there's is no definite rule. The linguistic research on the Chinese language is still in its infancy, so there aren't any generally accepted 'rules' on this special subject of Phonology.
Depending on region and idiosyncratic habit, there are several possibilities on how to 'set' the tones.
When there are more than three characters each with a third tone in a row:
- the intonation of each characters before the last one changes to a rising tone (2nd tones) 2 - 2 - 3
- they change in pairs, meaning 3 - 2 - 3 (- 2 - 3 etc.)
Hope that helps.
Just try to listen to the people talking. It varies from person to person, how they change the tones.
"distinction is perfect continence"